I'm asking for a sanity check here, because I've been at this a while and am prone to make mistakes when I'm this tired. My Vette is a 1987 coupe. HEI ignition.
I am starting-up a new engine. I have the wire near the power brake booster disconnected so that the ecm is not effecting timing. I just cranked it up and with the distributer setting in the desired position (Protrusion on driver's side of the distributor cap pointing to right side of car) The spark is very retarded. I have to twist the distributor cap protrusion toward the firewall to move spark to 6 deg BTDC. It looks kinda hokie in that position and I believe I must be off one or more teeth.
Question!! If I lift the distributor to reingage the cam gear one or two teeth away, Which way do I want to turn the rotor??? I'm thinking that if I have to twist the distributor counter-clockwiseto get the correct timing now, then I would have to lift the disrtibutor and turn the rotor clockwise to return the cap protrusion to point across the car rather than at the firewall and maintain timing where I want it. It's one of those things that, if I think about it long enough I can come up with a differant answer every time. And like I said earlier, I'm tired and not thinking clearly.

 

If the timing light indicates 6° BTDC an idle with the EST wire disconnected, you have the timing set correctly. If you want to turn the body of the distributor counter clockwise while maintaining the the existing timing, turn the rotor counter clockwise, also. That way the dist body will have to "chase" the rotor to maintain the same timing.

RACE ON!!!

 

and as an added tip-if you're not done yet, have a long screw driver handy to rotate the oil pump shaft to aline with the dist.

 

What rick said. You can't simply move the distributor one tooth. Must rotate the oilpump drive a like amount. Good luck. This is likely the weakest part of my engine skills. No matter how hard I try I end up with distributers pointing in the oddest directions to get to 6 degrees BTDC.

 

Muffin, a tip. It is my experience that a distributor will never drop back into where it was removed. Once the distributor has cleared the hole, it won't go back in until you tweak the oil pump drive shaft, just a hair, clockwise. When I remember to do this BEFORE I attempt to reinstall the distributor, it just falls into place. Don't ask me to explain it, because it doesn't make any sense, but it works for me.

RACE ON!!!